John Tarbutton

Data, Analytics and Business Strategy @Slalom. Opinions and tweets are my own.

[Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex]

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Americans on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This anniversary stands as an invitation not only to celebrate the nation’s remarkable journey, but also to reflect upon the responsibilities that the sons and daughters of this country bear to one another, and to the generations who will inherit the nation that is being shaped today. https://t.co/jIio4BBg9v

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

GOT THE GROUP! ✅

[Scottie Pippen @ScottiePippen]

Nobody teaches you that discipline feels like punishment until the results start feeling like freedom

[Satya Nadella @satyanadella]

https://t.co/vLmiBKTtX3

[USMNT Only @usmntonly]

JUST A REMINDER.

Paraguay beat Brazil and Argentina and had the best defensive record in South American World Cup qualifying.

They just lost 4-1 to the USMNT in their opening match at the 2026 World Cup final.

[herculez gomez @herculezg]

The USMNT has just scored 3 goals against a team that only allowed 6 in WCQ under Alfaro.

Their movement is causing all kinds of problems, making Paraguay look pedestrian. I can't stress enough how impressive they are 45 minutes in. #USMNT

[John Tarbutton @JohnTarbutton]

Disappointing by the @WSJ , but appreciate your continued efforts all the same @RonDeSantis @GovRonDeSantis. Looking forward to voting this in.

[Ron DeSantis @RonDeSantis]

The Wall Street Journal defending bloated local budgets and opposing property tax relief for Florida homeowners.

Florida hasn‘t raised the homestead exemption outright since 1980 and the last partial exemption increase was enacted almost 20 years ago.

Both times people made similar arguments against property tax relief.

Although the ballot measure passed by the Legislature differs from my proposal, it is the best opportunity Floridians have had in years to obtain meaningful relief.

It is not “progressive”; it applies to all FL homesteads, modest to extravagant.

[The Wall Street Journal @WSJ]

Florida lawmakers approved a measure for the November ballot that would overhaul the state’s property-tax system. https://t.co/faF729F7yW

[Ron DeSantis @RonDeSantis]

There are also a lot of people who also don’t realize:

—the majority of residential property tax revenue taken by local governments is non-homestead residential properties
—homestead property tax revenue is a fraction of all property tax revenue which also includes commercial properties
—property tax revenue is a fraction of total revenue for large counties
—property tax revenue taken by local governments has nearly doubled in the past eight years

[John Tarbutton @JohnTarbutton]

@HillsboroughFL had 88% tax growth with 8% population growth over the last 7 years. @GovRonDeSantis ‘s plan to alleviate property tax pain on Florida homeowners is common sense.

[Ron DeSantis @RonDeSantis]

Hillsborough County

2018 taxes — $853 million
2025 taxes — $1.6 billion

Population growth: 8%

61.2% of homesteads would have property taxes eliminated under initial $250k exemption.

[Ron DeSantis @RonDeSantis]

Local governments took $32 billion in property taxes in 2019.

Today, they are taking $60 billion.

Meanwhile, at the state level, Florida has reduced spending four years in a row — even though we’ve had both inflation and population growth.

Exempting homesteads can be done. And it it will help millions of Floridians.

[Fox News @FoxNews]

JUST IN: Governor DeSantis leads the charge to eliminate property taxes in Florida under a new plan aimed at giving homeowners relief.

"This is really a historic opportunity to have more money in people's pockets and to actually have their home be their private property that the government just can't use as a piggy bank." | @SundayFutures

[Enrique García @emgarciax]

Local governments in Florida feasted on close to double the property taxes collected from $32 billion (2019) to $60 billion.
That’s an insane amount of money based on unrealized estimated earnings (property valuation), not actual.
So, once and for all, it’s due time to adjust according to the circumstances, time to stop spending like a drunken sailor.
Of course, most politicians hate to see money get taken away from their hands / control / pet projects, but it’s well damn time for it.

[Kyle Lamb @kylamb8]

I've been in Florida for 5 1/2 years and if there is one thing I've learned it's that if the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel are against something you favor, you're on the right side of history. When they come out attacking it, you know it's over the target.

[Ron DeSantis @RonDeSantis]

Calculator allows you to determine property tax savings.
https://t.co/scD16rgTN8

[Alex Lanfranconi @AlexLanfran]

Florida has launched a property tax savings calculator!

See how much you would save under the Governor’s proposal here:

https://t.co/RuAV4vUuSU

[Gary Fineout @fineout]

Florida @GovRonDeSantis on his property tax proposal: "I hear politicians blab about affordability and never offer any solutions for it ... this is how you do it."

[GREG ISENBERG @gregisenberg]

I didn't cover Claude Opus 4.8 on my pod because I don't think it's MEANINGFULLY better than GPT 5.5 as of May 29th.

We're entering the era where model releases start to feel like iPhone releases. Remember when every new iPhone was a genuine leap? Now it's a slightly better camera and you can't really tell the difference. That's where models are heading. 4.6 to 4.7 to 4.8. Each one is a little different. Nobody can agree if it's better or worse. The benchmarks say one thing, the vibes say another.

The thing that actually matters right now is what's happening around the models. Claude Code shipped dynamic workflows this same week and that genuinely changes what one person can build.

Codex shipped a desktop app with an in app browser that combines coding and knowledge work in one surface. Those are the releases that move the needle for people. The model underneath is becoming interchangeable.

I think we're maybe 6 months from nobody caring which model they're using the way nobody cares which engine is in their Uber. You just want to get where you're going.

When something genuinely changes the game for builders, I'll cover it on @startupideaspod. Opus 4.8 wasn't that. Dynamic workflows was.

I'd rather save you the hour.

[Rick Flaquer - MSF, USAF - AFSC 2A3X2 🇺🇸 @RickF35464]

Miami Dade County municipalities (34 cities and villages plus unincorporated Dade Co.) are sitting on mounds of cash given the run-up in real estate property values over the past 5 years.

Also, as stated above, the increase in the homestead exemption only applies to the first $250k in assessed property value helping the bottom 60% of homeowners remove this liability completely.

If the politicians really want to help low and middle income homeowners, this is the perfect solution; why are they fighting so hard against it?

Stop hoarding the people's money and return some of it back to them.